Oh fearful world, oh friendless world, a Savior is found

"You who are lonely, laden, forlorn--

Now unto you, A Savior is born!"

 --carol of joy. 

[a piece of me, by caitlin connolly

not explicitly a picture of Mary and the baby Jesus, but I think it works.]

May flowers

The last couple of weeks have been full of flowers. Flowers from my bridal shower, flowers on my runs, flowers all around campus. The world seems bright with color and it makes me very happy.

[Some bridal shower gifts. And that candle smells like Utah. But not like refineries. It smells like a ski lodge in Park City.]

[Azaleas! I think? We don't have these flowers in Utah, but they are so, so pretty.]

[We don't have this tree/these flowers, either. But I think it is a dogwood tree. In any event, it is so bright and beautiful right after the rain.]

Autumnal Glory

Fall Coming in Like Three Sisters II, by Brian Kershisknik /via/

I just think this painting is so graceful. And that it captures the beauty of the changing of the seasons. Like there's something mythical about the transition.

Anyway. Just some of my favorite art from my favorite Mormon artist to brighten your day.

Happy Autumn.

A trip to fairytale England

Last Saturday I traveled to the Cotswolds with the other two lovely ladies of our Bluestockings Group: Dani and Briana.

It was a last hurrah for the year and a wonderful finale to celebrate our friendship at Oxford.

[From a few months ago. Love these women.]

We went to the Cotswold village of Castle Combe. It is where they shot scenes from War Horse and Stardust. And it is absolutely the most picturesque English town I think I have ever seen. 

[Really. It is that picture perfect.] 

[And so of course I had to take a picture with it.]

It was just an absolutely perfect afternoon spent with good friends, good imaginations, cream tea, and walks in fairytale parks. 

I think I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking. 

[Magical woods where dreams come true.]

[Cream tea--well, hot cocoa--with the girls.]

[This place is actually perfect.]

[Every time it was my turn for a picture, 5 cars would go past before we could snap a shot. So here I am, waiting for a car about to pass.]

[War Memorial.]

[There is actually a place called Unicorn Lodge. Amazing.]

["When there's Tea, there's hope." A truer Britshism was never spoken.]

[We ended walking upon this estate/manor/hotel. It was amazing.]

[Literally in a fairy tale.]

What can I say? It was an absolutely glorious day. And I'm so grateful that I was able to share it with dear friends. 

As we walked in fields of gold.

One of my favorite things about Oxford is that you don't have to go far to find nature. 

One minute you're in the hustle and bustle of Jericho Street, and the next you can find yourself in Port Meadow, communing with the horses and buttercups. 

Port Meadow is one of my favorite places in Oxford. 

It's especially beautiful in the spring/summer, when the fields are just covered in buttercups. 

It's also a great place to go running in the morning. Not only can you run through buttercup fields, but you can also run past thatched cottages, charming handmade signs, and old churches.

England in the spring sunshine is heaven. 

Tour de Oxford {Magdalen College}

For those of you who don't know, Oxford University is made up of colleges. For example, I am a student at Oxford University, but I am also a member of Corpus Christi College. This is a bit confusing to people who are used to the American university system, where a university is made up of departments (and where we also call university college).

In the case of Oxford, the town is basically the university and the university is made up of individual colleges which have departments inside of them. The colleges are made up of students studying a variety of subjects, from French literature to neuroscience. One of the best ways I can describe it is like Hogwarts. (I know. I'm sorry for another Harry Potter reference. Actually, I'm not sorry.) Basically, Hogwarts = Oxford, and the Hogwarts Houses = colleges.

I have made it my goal whilst at Oxford to visit all 38 of the colleges which make up this university. I am calling it my Tour de Oxford.

First up, Magdalen College.

Magdalen College (Magdalen is named after Mary Magdalene, but is pronounced "modlin" as it would have been pronounced in the 15th century) was founded in 1458. It is well-known for its extensive grounds (it has a beautiful Fellows Garden as well as a deer park), its choir, and being the old stomping grounds of many famous intellectuals, politicians, and writers, such as C.S. Lewis.

[Along Addison's Walk, where J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis had long discussions about God.] 

One of the neat things about Oxford is the history of the place. It is neat to think about all of the people who have come here and all of the ideas they brought to the world. So it was neat to stroll down Addison's Walk and think about God, life, and the universe.

Also, I enjoy Magdalen College because it's just so darn pretty. 

Yep, definitely coming back to visit this college. 

Maria's not an asset to the abbey

. . . we may or may not have been singing under our breaths as we walked through Fountains Abbey today.

Have you ever heard of Fountains Abbey? It is one of the largest and best-preserved monasteries in Great Britain. It was founded in 1132 and operated for over 400 years, when it was disbanded by Henry VIII in 1539. 

Now it is a World Heritage site and absolutely beautiful. 

Honestly, you just can't get enough pictures of this place. It is stunning. You could walk for hours around this place and just find new things to enjoy.

And we did.

Although it does make it more fun to explore with family.

As I was exploring, I climbed up to some old windowsills. L. saw me and thought I was stuck, so she ran over to help me. 

Good thing she's there to come to my rescue. 

 L. loved, loved, loved all the rocks. 

And the rocking sheep. I mean, who could say no? 

Oh haiiiii. 

Mom and I under the big, blue, British sky. 

"How do you solve a problem like Maria?" 

[Because we are in an abbey, after all.]

Contemplating synonyms for Maria: 

-Flibbertigibbet

-Will-o-the-wisp

-Clown

Fountains Abbey. Lovely people, lovely place, lovely memories.